How does Mahanoy Area product Tyler Cavenas feel about his freshman season at Lehigh?

Lehigh football coach Andy Coen remembered that Tyler Cavenas had to reschedule his official visit to campus last year because he was participating in the Mahanoy Area High School musical.

"I think it was 'Guys and Dolls,' " Coen said.

Cavenas has gone from appearing in school plays to making them on defense as a freshman lineman with the Mountain Hawks.

He was officially credited with two tackles last Saturday in Lehigh's 48-27 loss — the first two stops of his collegiate career.

But Coen said after reviewing the film that Cavenas was actually involved in five tackles.

Look for him to be involved in much more Saturday at Georgetown as Lehigh (1-6) tries to get its first Patriot League win of the season when it takes on the Hoyas (2-6) in Washington. It's a noon kickoff.

Cavenas, listed at 6-foot-5 and 270 pounds, is one of the building blocks for the future for the Mountain Hawks, who have scuffled this year but seem to have a much brighter 2015 in store.

"He's someone we're very pleased with," Coen said. "He's a very conscientious kid. I watched him play basketball at Mahanoy Area and was really impressed with how agile he was. I was also impressed how much of a team leader he was. Obviously, it's a small school and someone his size, everyone knows who you are. But he seemed to be a great kid in the community."

Coen could tell Cavenas was well-liked in high school and said he's already become popular at Lehigh.

"We think he's going to be an outstanding player," Coen said. "He can be so disruptive with his size and the energy he gives. He needs a lot of weight room time because sometimes he gets pushed around. But he hits a gap and is very tenacious. He has a knack of getting in the backfield."

Because Mahanoy Area is not a football powerhouse, Coen said there weren't a lot of schools coming after Cavenas.

"We saw his junior year tape and then he came to our camp and did some things," Coen said. "He has a great knack for knocking down passes. He's probably about nine feet tall when he jumps and puts his hands up. He's a very humble kid, which is great."

Cavenas said his motto coming to Lehigh was "just get a little better each day." His first goal was to make the travel team and maybe see some time on special teams.

"Now, I'm getting a good amount of snaps and I feel like it's an accomplishment," Cavenas said. "I know I have a lot to work on and need to get better, but I am getting a lot of experience."

He is proud to come from a small school in the coal region where the blue-collar work-ethic was ingrained almost from birth.

"I won't say anything bad about anybody, but coming from a small school in the coal region, it's hard-nosed football every week," he said, "Everybody comes out and you put your hand in the dirt and you try to smash the guy across from you. That's what it is — smash-mouth football. You want to hit the guy across from you as hard as you can on every single play.

"You're playing for pride in the coal region. The games are so competitive and coming from there it's instilled in you that you have to work hard or you're not going to be successful."

Mahanoy Area was just 2-8 in Cavenas's junior year, but rebounded to go 8-4 and reached the Eastern Conference finals last fall.

Cavenas experienced much more success in basketball playing for the legendary Mickey Holland. He was a three-year starter on the hardwood for the Bears and also got a lot of playing time as a freshman.

He was a key cog in helping the Bears win 66 games over the past three years and win two District 11 Class A championships. Last winter's team was 25-3 and also won the Schuylkill League title.

"Coach Holland was a great coach who worked us hard in practice and that also contributed to my work-ethic," Cavenas said. "He made me fall in love with basketball. We used to press and play up tempo. That helped with my foot work and made me quick on my feet. I owe a lot to Coach Holland and basketball for getting here."

Cavenas played many big basketball games in what he simply refers to as "The Mecca" — Pottsville's Martz Hall.

In a few weeks he'll play in another famous venue, Yankee Stadium, in one of the biggest Lehigh Valley sporting events maybe ever.

But before Lehigh can focus on Lafayette, it needs to build some momentum and win some games.

"We have a lot of young guys seeing playing time right now and we want just build and build and build while also sending the seniors out the right way," he said. "I came here wanting to get a championship ring. I am going to keep working and the rest of the guys are, too, to make sure that happens."

For more on Lehigh-Georgetown, see the Groller's Corner blog at http://www.mcall.com/grollerscorner.